Abstract: The study of coloration in animals is a rapidly maturing field in behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology and at the same time has been a crucible for developmental genetics. Many of these advances have been made with mammals, including humans. Studies of memorable species, like giant pandas, primates, and zebras; genetic research on pattern formation in mammals; understanding primate visual sensitivities; and comparative studies of the eco-correlates of coloration are all examples. These developments are now informing basic and applied research in other disciplines including biological anthropology, military defense and even the fashion industry. In this synthetic talk, I raise ten questions about coloration which we could soon solve involving its use in animal defense strategies, social communication, Gloger’s rule, sport, artificial selection, and linking function to underlying genetics in mammals.
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